Don't know about down south, but in Michigan, the bees take a break from brooding in the winter. That also disrupts the mites which is a good thing. Of coarse the downside it, the cold weather kills a lot of bees. Or as Finski might say; we bee keepers kill a lot of bees :)

If there is a dearth in the winter down there (and I assume there is), your bees might stop brooding for a while, but I don't know.